Primarily, a teacher's goal is to motivate her students to reach beyond their grasp. Many children are keenly aware of their weaknesses and special education students are particularly sensitive to being "different". A good teacher helps the child realize her strengths and encourages and challenges the student to learn through those strengths. It is in the day to day process of reaching this goal that the ingredients for making a good teacher come into play.
The best teachers are the ones who teach to the whole child. Their vision of education is not limited to the tangibles of academic achievement but encompasses daily doses of compassion, flexibility, communication, humor, imagination, and the willingness to be open minded. Most importantly, a good teacher is someone who uses both his head and her heart in equal measure throughout the school day.
Compassion is in understanding that a student may be frustrated, angry or just unable to focus on the academics at hand. A little extra attention, a hug, a query as to how he is feeling today or the simple expression that the teacher values that student and was glad he was there today is all it takes to make a potentially negative situation into a positive, personal learning experience for the child. Bad days happen to everyone. Deal with the misbehavior, and move on, but be fair and consistent in your discipline.
Good teachers don't speak negatively about their students to anyone. Flexibility allows the learning environment to be fluid and creative. For would-be teachers to give themselves the best shot at becoming a great teacher someday, they should give careful thought to where they begin their own pedagogical training. While comprehensive education is an important foundation for teaching, a strong resume is not necessarily the most reliable indicator of a high-quality teacher.
A great teacher is more effectively defined by his or her success and performance in the classroom. Favorable metrics are one thing. Real student progress is another. In one way or another, this comes back to those findings regarding the importance of teacher quality in the lives of students: if teachers are aware of such findings and take them seriously, they can begin to chart out the ways they want to use their unique influence in the classroom.
Individual missions will look different among teachers, but many will take into account the following factors:.
They may look for growth in the responses to some of these questions:. After all, a classroom is essentially a microcosm of a greater society, and good teachers make efforts to impart knowledge that will help students succeed outside of school. If students are involved in their education, establishing the way their classrooms are run, and deciding how their days are structured, they will naturally be more invested in their learning.
Good teachers continually challenge themselves to find new ways to incorporate this sense of democracy into the classroom, first by being good role models themselves. Other ways a teacher can encourage respectful and democratic interactions include:. Fostering an environment of respect within the classroom is another goal that quality teachers will seek to achieve.
Teaching Profession Opinion. By Ariel Sacks — September 25, 4 min read. Share article Remove Save to favorites Save to favorites. Ariel Sacks. Ariel Sacks arielsacks is a middle school language arts teacher and curriculum coach. Thank you for subscribing. Nov 15 Mon. This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff. Help every student belong in school with these practices for school climate.
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